-Genomewide association studies reported SLC22A2 variants to be associated with serum creatinine. As SLC22A2 encodes the organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2), the association might be due to an effect on tubular creatinine handling. To test this hypothesis we studied the association of SLC22A2 polymorphisms with phenotypes of net tubular creatinine secretion: fractional creatinine excretion (FE creat) and bias of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We also studied the association with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and graft failure (GF) in renal transplant recipients. SLC22A2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs3127573 and rs316009, were genotyped in 1,142 ESRD patients receiving renal transplantation and 1,186 kidney donors as controls. GFR was measured with 125 I-iothalamate clearance. Creatinine clearance was also assessed. FEcreat was calculated from the simultaneous clearances of creatinine and 125 I-iothalamate. Donor rs316009 was associated with FEcreat (beta Ϫ0.053, P ϭ 0.024) and with estimated [modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI)] but not measured GFR. In line with this, donor rs316009 was associated with bias of the MDRD and CKD-EPI but not the Cockroft-Gault equation. Both SNPs were associated with ESRD: odds ratios [95% CI] 1.39 [1.16 -1.67], P ϭ 0.00065, and 1.23 [1.02-1.48], P ϭ 0.042, for rs3127573 and rs316009, respectively. Neither SNP was associated with GF. Thus, SLC22A2 is associated with phenotypes of net tubular creatinine secretion and ESRD. creatinine tubular secretion; SNP; genetic polymorphism; GWAS; OCT2 GENOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION STUDIES (GWAS) identified a number of loci influencing renal function (7, 23, 24) usually using renal function estimates based on serum creatinine as a proxy for glomerular filtration rate (GFR).Serum creatinine, however, is determined not only by GFR, but also by the rate of creatinine generation, extrarenal elimination, and by tubular handling (5,31,35,46,49). Dissecting the biological mechanisms underlying genetic associations with serum creatinine, therefore, is pivotal for proper interpretation of GWAS findings. In particular, it is relevant to assess whether loci associated with serum creatinine reflect susceptibility to renal damage (1) or, alternatively, reflect biological variations in creatinine generation or in creatinine handling unrelated to the risk for renal damage.The SLC22A2 gene is associated with serum creatinine and estimated GFR (eGFR) (7). However, SLC22A2 might well be a creatinine secretion locus. First, SLC22A2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with GFR estimated from serum creatinine but not cystatin C (23, 34). Second, the SLC22A2 gene encodes the organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2), a predominant transporter involved in tubular creatinine secretion. It is expressed in the basolateral membrane of proximal tubule cells (29), where it mediates creatinine uptake from the peritubular capillaries, as an initial step in tubular crea...